Roberts: Coyotes arena plan deserves cold shoulder

The Arizona Coyotes announced the location for a new $400 million arena but where is the money coming from? Michael Chow/azcentral.com

Well, it didn’t take long to shatter that dream.

For a brief shining moment on Monday, I actually thought – hoped? – that the Arizona Coyotes finally might have figured out that taxpayers aren’t in the mood to pay for yet another sports arena.

Especially given that the Phoenix Suns are expecting a new arena any day now.

Especially given that Glendale taxpayers still owe $145 million on the arena the Coyotes want to vacate.

For a brief shining moment on Monday, I actually thought that the Coyotes honchos had figured out there was a reason why their proposal to high-jack tax revenues to build yet another hockey arena was DOA at the Legislature last spring.

Boy, was I ever wrong.

What the Coyotes want from taxpayers

The Coyotes on Monday unveiled a plan to build their latest home ice in Tempe -- splitting the tab with taxpayers, who would be on the hook this time for a mere $200 million.

For more than a year, Arizona’s NHL franchise has been searching for a way to skate out of its 12-year taxpayer-supplied digs. This, after the Glendale City Council ended a deal the city said was a loser for taxpayers.

So now, the team is looking for new taxpayer-supplied digs.

Specifically, team owners want the Legislature to create a special taxing district that would allow you-know-who to kick in $200 million of the $400 million needed to build the team yet another place to play – this time in Tempe.

You know the drill: It'll be great

We all know the drill. Just think, we'll be told, of the magnificent bounty skating our way. All those new taxes that will be generated in this fantastic new district -- one that'll draw hotels and restaurants.

Because, of course, no hotels or restaurants would be built along a major freeway in this, the nation's sixth largest metropolitan area, without the draw of a hockey team.

This time, the team is looking to divert tax revenues generated from the arena, a proposed luxury hotel and commercial development to be built on 58 acres at the northwest corner of McClintock Drive and Rio Salado Parkway, now home of the Karsten Golf Course.

“We’re not looking for general funds from any governmental organization,” Coyotes president/CEO Anthony LeBlanc told reporters. “But we need to form a very strong partnership with the State of Arizona and the City of Tempe.”

Where were those partners on Monday?

Interesting that none of those very strong partners were present during Monday’s announcement by the Coyotes. No ASU officials. No legislators. Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell didn’t even know about it. Gov. Doug Ducey’s office had nothing to say about it.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton had plenty to say.

“Building a third professional arena in this market doesn’t make sense,” he told The Republic, “especially when it would likely require new public dollars as a part of the deal.”

Stanton believes it makes more sense for taxpayers to shell out for one arena that would house the Suns and Coyotes.

He is, of course, right. If we've got to pony up (again), it makes far more sense to build one arena and it should be in downtown Phoenix.

As for me, I’ll keep dreaming of the day when taxpayers across the land – faced with team owners who have their hands held out, palms up -- learn one simple word: